Adil Najam
Former President of Pakistan, Sardar Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari died in the early hours of Wednesday at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology in Rawalpindi. He was 70 and a heart patient for some time.
Like Ghulam Ishaq Khan before him (here and here), had the Presidency ‘thrust’ upon him by circumstance and political machinations of others; however, his use of Presidential powers while in office left a deep and lasting impact on Pakistan politics. Impacts that Pakistan is still reeling from.
A one time civil servant, schooled at Aitchison College, Forman Christian College, Punjab University and Oxford University, Mr. Leghari was a Baluch Sardar and reportedly a major land owner with 10 square kilometers of land ownership.
Once a PPP stalwart and close confidant of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, he would later turn against her and prove instrumental in her eventual fall from power. In fact, it was that closeness that elevated him to the Presidency in 1993 as he was considered loyal, dependable and reliable. In the end he proved to be anything but that for Ms. Bhutto and became a central actor in her removal from office as he removed his own party’s government under Article 58 2(b) on charges of corruption, lawlessness and extra judicial killings.
Here is a recent interview with Mr. Leghari:
Later he was himself forced to resign when Nawaz Sharif was Prime Minister. Later still he formed the Millat party, which eventually formed an alliance with PML-Q during Gen. Musharraf’s rule, during which his son Awais Leghari was a high profile Minister. Others from his close circle – including Mahmud Durrani and Sumaira Malik – were also key players in Gen. Musharraf’s government.
Sad to hear the news.
“Inna Lillahe va inna elayhey rajaeoon” and may his soul rest in peace. This is a difficult time for “any” family, whether the dead person was good or bad, right or wrong, right winger or left winger, muslim or non muslim…we must share and respect a loss of life rather than start a blame game and point fingers….unfortunately, we have lost the basics of Islam.
Except for that presidentil power, he would not be known today… and without his supposed loyalty to BB he woudl never have been President!
Am surprised how many people think he was a ‘good’ man… he may have been, but his political impacts on Pakistan have been all bad. May God forgive him for his sins: personal as well as political.
Expat
You are exactly right. All these feudal’s are ruling their lands cause of their self inflicted backwardness. They easily blame the “center” when people complain and get votes as a result as some one “fighting for their cause”. The same story goes for Bugti’s, Jamali’s, Mengal’s and Marri’s, they had been on the top tier in ruling circles yet were not able to do a thing for their people, yet easily blamed all on “Punjab” or “establishment”
Go to Larkana, and see how backwards it is, Pakistan had 3 high profile PM’s and Presidents from there!
I remembered when he kicked BB Govt (not her fan) his statement was “Mulk ke waseeeh tar mufaad ki khatir ” and when he created an “unholy” allainace with PML-Q he said the same “Mulk ke waseeeh tar mufaad ki khatir” and I bet his grand son will say the same in 205o while partying his way out of Millat party “Mulk ke waseeeh tar mufaad”
I will still condole his death, but he should have done better!